In Sardinia, the Giants of Mont'e Prama cause much discussion

The Giants of Mont’e Prama, Nuragic sculptural evidence in Sardinia, kept in the Museum of Cabras (Oristano), are causing much public discussion in the area.

Restoration would be necessary for the Giants, two chalky sandstone statues depicting an archer and a boxer, but Cabras Mayor Andrea Abis has strongly opposed moving the artifacts that belong to the Mont’e Prama heritage: in addition to the Giants, there would also be two nuraghe models and numerous fragments found at the archaeological site.

In fact, the Superintendence established the transfer of the finds for restoration reasons, but the Administration disagrees with this decision because, according to the latter, the transfer does not give any guarantee on the return of the statues to Cabras when the restoration is finished. The mayor therefore calls for compliance with the agreement signed in 2017 between the minister, the region, and the municipality, proposing that the restoration be carried out at the Giovanni Marongiu Museum in Cabras.

“Ours is a battle of dignity and civilization,” said the mayor, “we need substantial recognition of our role. It is appropriate to value the artifacts in the place where they were found; the future of our territory depends on it.” “Moving the statues away from the territory, the most beautiful among those found in the archaeological site,” Abis continued, “means leaving the museum room set up in 2015 unprotected, greatly reducing the cultural offer proposed to tourists. No one doubts that the restoration is necessary, but the modality imposed from above means that the managing body has to suffer the transfer without sharing it.” “To let the hall remain bare is unconscionable,” he concludes. “We have proposed to also provide a laboratory for the restoration of the precious artifacts, carrying it out at our own expense, so that we can play a trump card for the revitalization of the area, but if these are the preconditions, it is clear that we are not given the opportunity to use the restoration as a driving force for the tourist recovery of this place.”

The move would be scheduled for Feb. 25, according to the Superintendency.

“This is an operation that would have a devastating impact on the community and future prospects,” the mayor reiterated again. “The restoration operation is necessary to enhance the cultural asset, but we do not agree with the way it is being imposed on us. How can such an intervention be granted without guarantees? We here are children of a great trauma, but also subjects living a great dream. The trauma is that of the dispersion of heritage, the dream we have to work on, is to recover all the statues, displaying them in one environment here in Cabras. This is where the initiatives have to start, this is where the debate has to start for the management of the issue in the coming days.”

The administration has just opened a petition in favor of on-site restoration, proposing to set up a workshop at its own expense to restore the precious artifacts in the rooms of the Giovanni Marongiu Civic Museum.

The mayor also closed the museum with an order from Feb. 10 to Feb. 17, and Superintendent of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape Maura Picciau, who came specially to make an inspection, found the museum premises closed with a barred door, locked gate and police forces, so she had to turn back.

On the other hand, a note from the General Directorate of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape of the MiBACT states that "for the restoration of the statues, the State has already allocated funds amounting to 60 thousand euros for Maintenance, protection and control of the archaeological heritage of the provinces of Cagliari and Oristano, Programming 2019/2021 - Cap. 7433/2, to which is added the funding granted by the Fondazione Banco di Sardegna of 10 thousand euros. The restoration will have to take place, for the exclusive safeguard of the State’s cultural heritage, according to the most appropriate technical and scientific methods to ensure the best conservation intervention of the case, to be carried out in the appropriate specialized laboratory sites institutionally intended for this purpose: to this end, the State has also already allocated the sum of 16,836 euros to carry out the transport of the sculptures from Cabras to Cagliari."

“As for the subsequent valorization of the sculptural group,” the note continues, "MiBACT has also already allocated 3 million euros for the creation of a new museum in Cabras, which was followed by the agreement for the valorization of the “Integrated Territorial Enhancement System of Sinis - Land of Mont’e Prama,” signed on July 19, 2017, which is valid until July 19, 2022 and is to lead to the creation of a foundation in charge of managing the Museum. Therefore, upon completion of the restoration, verified the proper implementation of the agreement, the statues can be placed at the New Museum of Cabras."

Ph.Credit Museo Civico “Giovanni Marongiu” - Cabras

In Sardinia, the Giants of Mont'e Prama cause much discussion

Warning: the translation into English of the original Italian article was created using automatic tools. We undertake to review all articles, but we do not guarantee the total absence of inaccuracies in the translation due to the program. You can find the original by clicking on the ITA button. If you find any mistake,please contact us.